This invention relates to a process for cyclodimerizing 1,3-butadiene to 4-vinylcyclohexene in the presence of a copper(I) compound as the catalyst.
The use of organic Cu(I) compounds as catalysts for cyclodimerizing 1,3-butadiene to 4-vinylcyclohexene is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,808. The present invention is an improvement of this process resulting in higher butadiene conversion and enhanced selectivity to 4-vinylcyclohexene.